Indicator for revolution counters



Aug. 26, (1941. A. R. VINTQN 2,253,827

INDICATOR FOR REVOLUTION COUNTERS Filed April 6, 1939 CHANGEIOIU'; 6 "HHIHGREA/Ewlll INVENTOR A/o ATToRNEY Patented Aug. 26, 1941 UNITED .sTATEs PATENT oi-FicE :,zsaszx mnicA'roa Foa aEvoLU'rioN coUN'rEas Anim nniie vintpn, Lime Britain, N. I. Application April e, 1939, serial-Nn. assess z cinimn (ci. 11s-iii) My invention relates to indicators for revolu-l tion counters.

Among the desirable objects of my invention is the provision of simple means for displaying a warning sign or reminder'at the end of a predetermined number of revolutions.

Other desirable attributes of my invention will hereinafter appear.

lIt is chieiiy adapted-for use in connection with automobile speedometers to remind the driver at the expiration of each 500 or 1000 miles that he should change oli and grease his car.

B'r'oadiy speaking, the invention comprises means for producing relative movement between a shield member and a sign member, so that in one relative position of such members a legend on the sign member is invisible and in another relative position itis visible.

One convenient form of the invention comprises an indicator mounted behind a Xed apertured shield. the sign on which the legend is placed being moved into and out of register with the aperture or window of the shield. The shield ordinarily consists ofl the face of the speedometer or other instrument casing.

`of the speedometer casing and a window is provided in the face oi' the speedometer casing through which the. legend on thesign is displayed when the mileage mechanism reaches the predetermined figure and operates the indicator. Instead of using a movable screen between the window of the speedometer and a nxed S1811. it

. is simpler to movethe sign itself. This second In the preferred form of construction the sign is rotatably mounted and is provided with a spring for turning it from invisible into visible position as soon as a latch or catch is released by the speedometer or other. form of revolution counter at the expiration of each revolution or part of a revolution of one of the wheels of the counter. After the latch has been tripped and the sign moved into visible position, the parts may be manually reset for operation at the end of the next succeeding revolution or part thereof.

Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing, illustrating a practical embodiment of my invention, similar parts being designated by similar reference numbers, and in which:

Figure 1 is a. front elevation of a speedometer with an indicator embodying the present invention mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the indicator alone;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, with the location of the parts in sign-displaying position indicated in dotted lines;

Figure 4 is a section on the line lof Fig- 5 ure 2 with the parts in sign-displaying position;

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the indicator alone; and

mode of operation is that used in the form of construction illustrated in the drawing.

The indicator comprising a U-shaped frame formed of a back-plate i5 adapted to be secured to the base plate of jthe speedometer, and two forwardly extending arms I 6. On this frame is mountedga sign on which is placed the desired legend. 'I'his sign is so mounted that it is capable of assuming one or other of two positions, in one position the legend being visible and in the other invisible through the window in the front of the speedometer casing.

One convenient mode oi' supporting the sign is vi'cnnefi with n u-shnped end siidnbly engaging.. y a pin 22 on one of the arms i6. The spring isf is to mount it on a shaft I1 journalled in the arms I0 of the frame. 'I'l'iis'shaft I1 has secured thereto an angle plate 20 bearing on one face vthe legend Change oil grease." A strip steel spring `2| is provided for turning the shaft I1. For 'that purpose this spring is coiled around the shaft I1 and secured thereto by thrusting one end into a radial recess in the shaft, as shown in Figures 3 and 5. The other end of the spring tensioned so that, when free to act, it turns the shaft and its attached plate from the position shown 'in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 5.

Various means may be employed for releasably holding the shaft I1 in such angular posi- ,tion that the legend on the sign` is invisible. As shown, such means comprises a shaft I8 journailed in the arms I6 of the frame and carryingv an arm 24 terminating in a catch 2l adapted to engage a shoulder on the shaft I1 and hold it against the pressure of the spring 2l in the position shown in Figurel 3. The rear end of the arm 24 extends downwardly and carries a pin 20 which extends into one end of a coil compression spring 21. A similar pin 28 on the backplate Il extends into the other end of the coil spring 21. This spring, being under compression, tends to turn the shaft I8 so as to hold the catch 2l in engagement with the shoulder on the shaft I1.

The shaft Il also carries another arm 20, the

vfree outer end of which normally lies in the path of a pin SI on one of the numeral wheels I2 of the mileage indicator. As shown, this wheel is the hundreds wheel, so that the pin 2l engages the arm 2l every 1000 miles. When the pin strikes the arm 30, the shaft I8 is turned against the pressure of the spring' 21 so as to move the catch 25 out of engagement with the shoulder on the shaft I1 and thereby permit it to be rotated by its spring 2|, as indicated in Figure 5.

After the catch has been tripped and the warning legend displayed and acted upon, it is necessary to re-set the indicator. Various means may be employed for this purpose. In the particular construction shown, the re-setting mechanism comprises two links 2l and 30 pivotally connected together at 21. pivotally connected at Il to a bracket 28 secured to the inner face of the angle plate 20.

I do not limit myself te the sise. slape, number or arrangement of Darts as disclosed and described as these are given simply as a means for clearly describing the subject matter of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. An indicator for revolution counters of the gear-connected number-wheel type, comprising a shaft, a sign having a legend thereon mounted on said shaft, a spring adapted to rotate said shaft into a position in which the legend on said sign is visible, a latch pivotally mounted to turn about an axis parallel to said shaft and adapted to hold said shaft against the tension of said spring in an angular position in which the legend on the sign is invisible. a spring for yieldably holding the latch in operative connection with said shaft,v means mounted on one of the wheels of the revolution counter `for swinging said latch against the pressure of its spring to break safd operative connection whereby the first-mentioned The link I5 is also The other link 2B is non-rotatably mounted on a shaft 40 journalled in lugs II and 42 extending downwardly and forwardly from the backplate I5. When the shaft I1 is turned by its spring, the links V and Ninove from their fullline position of Figure 3 to their dotted line position. As in the dotted-line position, the links l are in a straight line, they positively prevent further rotation of the shaft I1 and likewise prevent any possibility that jarring of the indicator will return the parts to their initial or full-line position. To re-set the indicator the shaft III has to be turned. While that might be accomplished by a knurled knob at the end of the shaft mation will be exposed to view after a predetermined number of revolutions of a device operating therewith.

spring will rotate the shaft to bring the sign into legend-visible position after a predetermined number of revolutions, a second shaft parallel to the rst shaft and a connection between the two shafts, whereby rotation of the second shaft turns the ilrst shaft against the tension of its spring and re-sets theindicator.

2. An indicatorfor revolution counters, comprising a shaft, a sign having a legend` thereon mounted on said shaft, means for exertingcontinuous pressure tending to rotate said shaft into a position in which the legend is visib1e, a retractible latch adapted tohold said shaft against the pressure of said means in an angular position in which the legend is invisible, latch-tripping means operated by the revolution counter whereby said first-mentioned means will rotate the shaft to bring the legend into visible position after a predetermined number of revolutions,

connected to a part carried by and extending 1 laterally from said shaft, a second shaft rotatably mounted in fixed bearings, the other end of v the otherlink being non-rotatably secured to said second shaft and means for turning said second shaft to cause the last-mentioned link through the intermediary of the first link to rotate the first shaft in a direction opposite to the direction in which it was rotated by said first-mentioned means.

ARTHUR ROLFE VINTON. 

